1. Technical Field
An embodiment of this disclosure relates to a semiconductor memory device and a method of operating the same. Additionally an embodiment of this disclosure relates to a semiconductor memory device and a method of programming the same. These embodiments are capable of increasing the density and the operating speed of the semiconductor memory device and the method of operating and programming the same.
A semiconductor device includes a memory cell array configured to store data and page buffers coupled to the memory cell array through bit lines. The memory cell array includes a plurality of planes each including a plurality of memory blocks. In general, the memory cell array includes two planes, that is, a first plane and a second plane.
In order to use the two planes, page buffers each including a plurality of latches are necessary. More specifically, each of the page buffers includes a cache latch configured to store program data or read data, a main latch configured to store data in program and read operations, a flag latch configured to perform an operation using flag cells, and a temporary latch used in a double verify operation.
2. Related Art
The program operation of the semiconductor memory device including the two planes is described below.
In order to perform program operations for selected pages of the first and the second planes, program data is sequentially input into the page buffers coupled to the first and the second planes. The program operations on the first and the second planes are performed by using the program data input into the page buffers. For example, when the program operation on the first plane is completed before the program operation on the second plane, program data to be used in a program operation on a next page is input into the cache latches of the page buffers coupled to the first plane, while the program operation on the second plane is performed.
If, as described above, program data for the next program operation on the one plane, on which the program has been completed, is input into one plane while a program operation on the other plane is being performed, the time taken for a program operation can be reduced even though only two planes are being used.
However, when using only two planes, there is a limit to increasing the density and operating speeds of the semiconductor devices.